The present invention relates to a method and composition for treating hair subsequent to an alkaline hair treatment, such as a hair straightening treatment or a permanent wave treatment.
Hair is chemically straightened through a hair straightening treatment. Hair is chemically altered to produce a wavy appearance through a permanent wave treatment. Both commercial hair straightening treatments and commercial permanent wave treatments include applying an alkaline composition to the hair to disrupt the bonds in the hair fibers, in particular the disulfide bonds. Generally, permanent wave treatments have a pH in the range of 9.0 to 9.5 pH and hair straightening treatments have a pH of greater than 12.0, and typically greater than 13.0.
Commercial hair straightening products and commercial permanent wave products are typically based on an alkaline metal hydroxide, such as calcium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, or combinations thereof. Other commercial hair straightening products include guanidine hydroxide.
A result of the permanent wave treatments or the hair straightening treatments is that residue of the alkaline composition remains in the hair causing the hair to be dull, stiff, crusty or gritty. For example, when a calcium hydroxide based product is used in a hair straightening treatment calcium deposits are left on the hair. The presence of the calcium deposits causes the hair have a dry and gritty feeling and a dull appearance.
As such a need exists for a hair treatment to improve the feel and appearance of the hair subsequent to a hair straightening treatment or a permanent wave treatment without detrimentally affecting the straightness or waviness of the hair achieved through the straightening treatment or permanent wave treatment, respectively.
The present invention is a composition and method for treating hair.
In one exemplary embodiment, a method for treating hair comprising the steps of straightening the hair with a hair straightening treatment, allowing the hair to normalize, and clarifying the hair with a hair clarifying treatment to remove a residue of the straightening treatment from the hair. In one variation the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 30 minutes between the completion of the hair straightening treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In another variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 4 hours between the completion of the hair straightening treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In a further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 24 hours between the completion of the hair straightening treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In a yet further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 48 hours between the completion of the hair straightening treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method for treating hair comprising the steps of straightening the hair with a hair straightening treatment, allowing the hair to normalize, and clarifying the hair with a hair clarifying treatment to remove a residue of the straightening treatment from the hair. In one variation the hair clarifying treatment includes the step of applying a composition to the hair. The composition comprising an aqueous solution including an acid component and an amphoteric surfactant. The acid component, in one variation of the composition, the acid component includes at least one acid selected from the group of citric, salicylic, acetic, malic, and ascorbic acid. In a further variation, the composition comprises 0.5 weight percent to 8.0 weight percent of the acid component and at least about 10 weight percent of the amphoteric surfactant. In a yet further variation of the composition, the composition comprises 3.0 weight percent of the acid component. The amphoteric surfactant, in one variation is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Lauramidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine surfactant, Cocoamphoglycinate surfactant, and Lauroamphoglycinate surfactant. In a further variation the composition includes 3.0 weight percent malic acid and at least about 10.0 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
In a further exemplary embodiment, a method for treating hair comprises the steps of applying a first composition to the hair to straighten the hair, rinsing the hair, allowing the hair to normalize, applying a second composition to the hair to remove residue left in the hair by the application of the first composition, the second composition having a pH of about 2.2. In one variation, the second composition includes an aqueous solution including an acid component and an amphoteric surfactant. The acid component, in one variation, includes at least one acid selected from the group of citric, salicylic, acetic, malic, and ascorbic acid. In a further variation, the composition comprises 0.5 weight percent to 8.0 weight percent of the acid component and at least about 10 weight percent of the amphoteric surfactant. The acid component, in a further variation, comprises 3.0 weight percent of the acid component. The amphoteric surfactant, in one variation, is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Lauramidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine surfactant, Cocoamphoglycinate surfactant, and Lauroamphoglycinate surfactant. In a yet further variation, the composition includes 3.0 weight percent malic acid and at least about 10.0 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
In a yet further exemplary embodiment, a method for treating hair comprises the steps of applying a first composition to the hair to straighten the hair, rinsing the hair, allowing the hair to normalize, applying a second composition to the hair to remove residue left in the hair by the application of the first composition, the second composition having a pH of about 2.2. In one variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 30 minutes between rinsing the hair and the application of the second composition. In another variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 4 hours between rinsing the hair and the application of the second composition. In a further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 24 hours between rinsing the hair and the application of the second composition. In a yet further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 48 hours between rinsing the hair and the application of the second composition.
In an exemplary composition for treating hair, the composition comprising an acidic component selected from the group of citric, salicylic, acetic, malic, and ascorbic acid and an amphoteric surfactant. The acidic component and the surfactant being incorporated with water to produce an aqueous solution having a pH of about 2.2. In one variation, the composition includes 0.5 weight percent to 8 weight percent of the acidic component. In one further variation, the composition includes 3 weight percent of the acidic component. The composition, in a yet further variation, includes 3 weight percent malic acid. The amphoteric surfactant, in one variation, is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Lauramidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine surfactant, Cocoamphoglycinate surfactant, and Lauroamphoglycinate surfactant. The amphoteric surfactant, in a further variation, comprises at least about 10 weight percent of the amphoteric surfactant. The amphoteric surfactant, in a yet further variation, comprises about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
In another exemplary method for treating hair comprising the steps of treating the hair with an alkaline treatment, allowing the hair to normalize, and clarifying the hair with a hair clarifying treatment to remove a residue of the alkaline treatment from the hair. In one variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 30 minutes between the completion of the alkaline treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In another variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 4 hours between the completion of the alkaline treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In a further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 24 hours between the completion of the alkaline treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment. In yet a further variation, the hair is allowed to normalize by waiting at least 48 hours between the completion of the alkaline treatment and the commencement of the clarifying treatment.
In yet another exemplary method for treating hair comprising the steps of treating the hair with an alkaline treatment, allowing the hair to normalize, and clarifying the hair with a hair clarifying treatment to remove a residue of the alkaline treatment from the hair. In one variation, the hair clarifying treatment includes the step of applying a composition to the hair, the composition comprising an aqueous solution including an acid component and an amphoteric surfactant. The acid component, in one variation, includes at least one acid selected from the group of citric, salicylic, acetic, malic, and ascorbic acid. In a further variation, the composition comprises 0.5 weight percent to 8.0 weight percent of the acid component and at least about 10 weight percent of the amphoteric surfactant. In a yet further variation, the composition comprises 3.0 weight percent of the acid component. The amphoteric surfactant, in one variation, is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Lauramidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine surfactant, Cocoamphoglycinate surfactant, and Lauroamphoglycinate surfactant. In another variation, the composition includes 3.0 weight percent malic acid and at least about 10.0 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
In an additional exemplary method for treating hair comprises the steps of applying a first composition to the hair, the first composition being an alkaline composition, rinsing the hair, allowing the hair to normalize, and applying a second composition to the hair to remove residue left in the hair by the application of the first composition. The second composition having a pH of about 2.2. The second composition, in one variation, includes an aqueous solution including an acid component and an amphoteric surfactant. The acid component, in one variation, includes at least one acid selected from the group of citric, salicylic, acetic, malic, and ascorbic acid. In a variation of the composition, the composition comprises 0.5 weight percent to 8.0 weight percent of the acid component and at least about 10 weight percent of the amphoteric surfactant. In a further variation of the composition, the composition comprises 3.0 weight percent of the acid component. The amphoteric surfactant, in another variation, is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Lauramidopropyl Betaine surfactant, Cocoamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine surfactant, Cocoamphoglycinate surfactant, and Lauroamphoglycinate surfactant. In a yet further variation, the composition includes 3.0 weight percent malic acid and at least about 10.0 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Hair fibers include proteins and fatty acids and exhibit a baseline pH of around 4.0 to 6.0. Hair straightening treatments and permanent wave treatments alter the chemical bonds in hair fibers and hence the appearance of the hair fibers in part by reacting various compositions with the hair fibers at elevated pHs from the baseline pH of hair.
Hair that has been treated with a hair straightening treatment is chemically altered to have a straight appearance. At minimum a commercial hair straightening treatment includes applying to the hair a straightening composition having a pH of at least 12.0, which breaks the disulfide bonds in the hair fibers. During the hair straightening treatment the pH of the hair fibers is elevated from the baseline 4.0 to 6.0 to an elevated pH approaching the pH of the straightening composition.
Example hair straightening compositions include compositions of guanidine hydroxide, barium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide, or mixtures thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,244 discloses a guanidine hydroxide composition used to straighten hair. Exemplary commercial embodiments of calcium hydroxide straightening compositions: Optimum Care available from Soft Sheen Products located in Chicago, Ill. 60619; Alternatives available from Soft Sheen Products located in Chicago, Ill. 60619; Motions available from Soft Sheen Products located in Chicago, Ill. 60619; Clairol Textures and Tones available from Clairol Inc Dist. located in Stamford, Conn. 06902; hair straightening compositions available from TCB located at Alberto Culver USA INC., Melrose Park, Ill. 60160; Realistic available from Revlon Professional Inc Dist in New York, N.Y. 10022; Fabulaxer available from Revlon Professional Inc Dist located in New York, N.Y. 10022; Crxc3xa8me Of Nature available from Revlon Professional Inc Dist, located in New York, N.Y. 10022; Dark and Lovely available from Carson Products Co. located in Savannah, Ga. 31403; PCJ available from Luster Products Inc. located in Chicago, Ill. 60609; Pink Conditioning Relaxer available from Luster Products Inc located in Chicago Ill. 60609; Soft and Beautiful available from Proline Corporation located in Dallas, Tex. 75212; Sheenique available from Summit Laboratories Inc. located in Chicago Heights, Ill. 60411; ISO Plus available from JM Products Inc. located at Po Box 4025 Little Rock, Ark. 72214-4025; Always Natural available from AP Products LTD located in New York, N.Y. 10801; and Ultra Sheen""s Precise available from Johnson Products Co Inc. located in Chicago, Ill. 60620. A exemplary commercial embodiment of sodium hydroxide is Motions available from Soft Sheen located in Chicago, Ill. 60619.
The hair fibers remain at an elevated pH after the straightening composition has been rinsed from the hair and the hair straightening treatment has been completed. Over time, the pH of the hair fibers decreases, thereby normalizing the hair fibers. Eventually, the pH of the hair fibers returns to the baseline pH of 4.0 to 6.0.
Hair that has been treated with a permanent wave treatment is chemically altered to have a wavy appearance. At minimum a commercial permanent wave treatment includes applying to the hair a permanent wave composition having a pH in the range of 9.0 to 9.5, which breaks the disulfide bonds in the hair fibers. During the permanent wave treatment, the pH of the hair fibers is elevated from the baseline pH of 4.0 to 6.0 to an elevated pH approaching the pH of the permanent wave composition.
The hair fibers remain at an elevated pH after the perm composition has been rinsed from the hair and the permanent wave treatment has been completed. Over time, the pH of the hair fibers decreases, thereby normalizing the hair fibers. Eventually, the pH of the hair fibers returns to the baseline pH of 4.0 to 6.0.
A side effect of both hair straightening and permanent wave treatments is that residue from the hair straightening composition and the permanent wave composition becomes lodged under the cuticle portion of the hair after the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment is completed. The residue causes the hair fibers to feel coarse and dry and to have a dull appearance. Additionally, the residue causes manageability problems when the hair is later styled.
Traditionally conditioning/clarifying treatments are applied to hair subsequent to a hair straightening treatment or a permanent wave treatment within a short time period of the completion of the hair straightening treatment or permanent wave treatment, usually less than 10 minutes. However, traditional conditioning/clarifying treatments are relatively weak, pH of 4.0 to 4.5. The residue from the hair straightening treatment or permanent wave treatment is not removed from the hair by traditional conditioning/clarifying treatments.
An exemplary hair clarifying composition of the present invention is configured to remove the residue left behind in the hair following a hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment. The exemplary hair clarifying composition includes an acid component and an amphoteric surfactant. The acid component is selected from the group of citric acid, salicyclic acid, acetic acid, malic acid and ascorbic acid or any type of fruit based acid or combination of acids. Preferably the acid component is malic acid. Malic acid is available from Haarman and Reimer located at 300 North Street, Tetersboro, N.J. 07608. The amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group of Cocamidopropyl Betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, cocoamphoglycinate, and lauroamphoglyciante. Preferably, the amphoteric surfactant is Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is available from McIntyre Group, Ltd. located at 24601 Governors Highway, University Park, Ill. 60466.
Unless otherwise indicated, throughout this application the weight percent of the acid component and the amphoteric surfactant is a percentage of the overall weight of the hair clarifying composition.
In another preferred variation of the exemplary hair clarifying composition, the hair clarifying composition is an aqueous solution that includes 0.50 weight percent to 8 weight percent of malic acid and about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant. The preferred variation of the exemplary clarifying composition has a pH of about 2.2. In a further preferred variation of the exemplary hair clarifying composition, the hair clarifying composition is an aqueous solution that includes 1 weight percent to 8 weight percent of malic acid and about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant. In a yet further preferred variation of the exemplary hair clarifying composition, the hair clarifying composition is an aqueous solution that includes 3 weight percent to 8 weight percent of malic acid and about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant. In a most preferred variation of the exemplary hair clarifying composition, the hair clarifying composition is an aqueous solution that includes 3 weight percent of malic acid and about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant.
The hair clarifying composition of the present invention has a relatively strong acidic pH of about 2.2. As such, when the hair clarifying composition is applied to the pH of the hair is lowered below the baseline pH of 4.0 to 6.0 to a value approaching the pH of the hair clarifying composition. When the hair clarifying composition is rinsed from the hair, the pH of the hair over time returns to the baseline pH of 4.0 to 6.0.
The hair clarifying composition, along with its positive effects on removing residue from the hair, works to realign the cuticle of the hair. The cuticle of the hair can become disoriented during daily activity and due to various hair treatments. The strong acidic value of the hair clarifying composition assists the realigning of the cuticle of the hair. As such, the hair has better light reflection properties and has increased combability among other desirable properties.
The present invention includes an exemplary method for treating hair, following a hair straightening treatment or a permanent wave treatment, that removes the residue left in the hair from the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment, increases the shininess and smoothness of the hair, and generally causes treated hair to appear more nature and to be more manageable. The exemplary method includes subsequent to a hair straightening or permanent wave treatment, allowing the hair to normalize for a period of time. As the hair is normalizing, the pH of the hair returns closer to the baseline pH of the hair prior to the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment. It is not required that the pH of the hair return completely to the baseline pH for the hair to be normalized, only that the pH of the hair returns to a value closer to the baseline pH.
Once the hair has normalized, the hair is treated with the exemplary clarifying composition described above or variations of the exemplary clarifying compositions. The exemplary clarifying composition comprising an aqueous solution of an acidic component and an amphoteric surfactant.
In a preferred method, the hair is treated with an exemplary clarifying composition at least 30 minutes after the completion of the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment. In a further preferred, method the hair is treated with the exemplary composition at least 4 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment. In yet a further preferred method, the hair is treated with the exemplary composition at least 24 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment. In a most preferred method, the hair is treated with the exemplary composition at least 48 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment or the permanent wave treatment.
Reference will now be made to specific examples of this exemplary embodiment using the compositions and processes above described. It is to be understood that the examples are provided to more completely describe preferred embodiments and that no limitation to the scope of the invention is intended thereby. The following hair straightening treatment was employed in the Examples, 1-20.
Each model""s hair was treated with a hair straightening composition. The hair straightening composition is a guanidine hydroxide produced by mixing of calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate. As stated earlier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,244 discloses a guanidine hydroxide hair straightening composition. The guanidine hydroxide hair straightening composition used in Examples 1-20 has a lower concentration of guanidine hydroxide as compared to other commercially available straightener products. Each Example 1-20 uses a hair straightening composition, hereafter referred to as mixture one, which is 75% of the strength of similar commercially available hair straightening compositions or a second hair straightening composition, hereafter referred to as mixture two, which is 50% of the strength of similar commercially available hair straightening compositions.
In each example, either mixture one or mixture two was applied to the hair of the model, the application taking approximately twenty minutes. The straightening mixture was left on the hair of the model for an additional twenty minutes while the model was positioned under a hair dryer with a cap over the hair. The use of heat assists the reaction of the guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide.
The hair was subsequently shampooed twice with a neutralizing shampoo and rinsed thoroughly. A thermal conditioning treatment was applied to the hair and the model was placed under the dryer for about five minutes. The thermal conditioning treatment includes a cationic agent and proteins. The thermal conditioning treatment adds moisture to the hair and assists in detangling the hair.
The hair was rinsed following the thermal conditioning treatment. Detangling spray was applied to the hair of the model and the hair was combed with a wide tooth comb. The model was placed under the hood dryer until the hair was damp to dry. The model was advised not to shampoo hair before his/her return appointment for the hair clarifying treatment of the present invention.
Each model""s hair is inspected to determine a baseline for the amount of residue left in the hair as a result of the straightening treatment discussed above. The hair of the model is then wetted. An exemplary clarifying treatment of present invention is applied to the hair of the model and left in the hair for about one minute. The hair was then rinsed. The hair is shampooed with a moisture infusing shampoo and rinsed. A moisture infusing conditioner is then applied to the hair and rinsed. A detangling spray is then applied to the hair and the hair is placed under a warm hair dryer to dry the hair. The hair of the model is then inspected to determine the effects of the clarifying treatment on the removal of residue, increase in shine, increase in smoothness and overall manageability.
In Examples 1-20, various exemplary clarifying compositions and methods of treating the hair of a model subsequent to a hair straightening treatment were investigated. Exemplary clarifying compositions including 0.5 weight percent to 8.0 weight percent malic acid and about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant are tested. In particular exemplary compositions having about 10 weight percent of Cocamidopropyl Betaine surfactant and about 0.5 weight percent, about 3.0 weight percent or about 8.0 weight percent malic acid are tested. Exemplary methods tested include applying the exemplary clarifying compositions approximately directly after the completion of the hair straightening treatment, applying the exemplary clarifying composition about 30 minutes after the completion of the hair straightening treatment, applying the exemplary clarifying composition about 4 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment, applying the exemplary clarifying composition about 24 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment, and applying the exemplary clarifying composition about 48 hours after the completion of the hair straightening treatment.